Bibiana Moncada

We present an integrative taxonomic revision of the Pseudocyphellaria hookeri group in Aotearoa | New Zealand. Molecular data of the fungal ITS barcoding marker resolve the group as monophyletic, in a strongly supported clade on a long stem branch, related to the P. crocata group. Our study confirms the three species previously assigned to this group, P. hookeri, P. durietzii, and P. montagnei, as part of this clade. In addition, a fourth species was detected and is formally described here, namely P. coralloidea sp. nov. It is characterized by a cyanobacterial photobiont and coralloid clusters of stout, robust isidia partially eroding into soralia-like structures. Given that the P. hookeri clade contains four different combinations of photobionts and reproductive structures (durietzii: green, apothecia; montagnei: green, phyllidia; hookeri: cyanobacterial, apothecia; coralloidea: cyanobacterial: isidia), we hypothesized that this clade evolved from a polymorphic ancestor representing both a photosymbiodeme and a species pair. Indeed, both cases are well documented in other taxa of Pseudocyphellaria. However, our results do not support such a conclusion, but rather indicate step-wise transitions between photobionts and/or reproductive strategy. We also found that P. durietzii and P. hookeri are not photomorphs sharing the same mycobiont, as previously suggested. All four species of the P. hookeri group are described and illustrated and their taxonomy is discussed, including a dichotomous key. We also provide information about their distribution, ecology, and conservation status. We introduce the term “soredisidia” for reproductive structures that represent a transition between genuine soralia and true isidia. This contribution is dedicated to our esteemed colleague, André Aptroot, on the occasion of his 65th birthday.

Revision of recently collected material in Cuba and Colombia revealed a surprising diversity of Sporostigma, a hitherto monospecific genus with spot-like mazaedia and Arthonia-type, brown ascospores, previously only known from Florida. Newly generated molecular sequence data place the genus in the Arthoniaceae, specifically in the clade containing the genera Arthothelium, Pachnolepia, Snippocia, and Tylophoron. Quantitative analysis of morphological and anatomical characters led to the distinction of six new species, which are formally described in this work: from Cuba, S. cubanum, differing from S. melasporum in the compact thallus, the lirellate-stellate ascomata with black mazaedia and thickened, crenulate thalline margin, and the smooth ascospores; and from Colombia, S. hieroglyphicum, differing from S. cubanum in the immersed-erumpent mazaedia with even, flattened margin and often with a split between mazaedium and thallus margin; S. immersellipsoideum, differing from S. melasporum in the sharply delimited mazaedia and the compact and smooth thallus; S. lobatum, differing from S. immersellipsoideum in the clearly erumpent mazaedia which become elongate-lobate, the rough thallus, and the comparatively broader ascospores with a typically papilliform proximal cell; S. pseudostromaticum, differing from S. cubanum in the notably pseudostromatic ascomata with branched to dissected individual mazaedia and with an even thallus margin; and S. stellatum, differing from S. pseudostromaticum in the rough thallus, the lack of secondary divisions of the mazaedia, and the slightly larger ascospores. This contribution is dedicated to our esteemed colleague and friend, André Aptroot, for his numerous and invaluable contributions to tropical crustose lichen taxonomy.

The new species Malmidea aptrootiana is described from the Dominican Republic. It forms part of the M. granifera complex in having a verrucose thallus (medulla whitish, K+ yellow) and apothecia with a dark hypothecium and with an excipulum containing a medullary layer. Within this complex, the new taxon stands out by its comparatively large ascospores (19–27 × 10–12 μm). Only three species in this complex have larger ascospores: M. indica and M. subindica (28–40 × 12–24 μm), both described from India, and M. sorsogona (22–34 × 11–16 μm), described from the Philippines. The latter overlaps in ascospore size with the new species, but features a yellowish medulla in the verrucae and further differs in the 4-spored asci and apothecia with brownish black disc and thick, mostly entire margins (disc purplish dark brown with the margins becoming thin and crenulate in the new species). Three other species in which the ascospores can reach lengths over 20 μm are M. chrysostigma, M. fenicis, and M. verrucosa, all from the eastern Paleotropics. The first two differ in the yellow, K+ red(-violet) medulla of the verrucae, whereas M. verrucosa features 4-spored asci and apothecia with a blackish brown disc and entire, dark margins. In order to facilitate the distinction of these and other species in this group, we provide an updated world key with illustrated diagnostic features for the species of the M. granifera complex. While elaborating the key, we came across Megalospora simplex Vězda, a foliicolous lichen described from Tanzania, which turned out to belong in Malmidea, so we also propose the new combination Malmidea simplex here.

We present a molecular phylogenetic and taxonomic revision of the genus Fissurina (Graphidales) in Hawaiʻi. Compared to eight previously reported species, we distinguish a total of 26 species. Only four of the previously reported species are tentatively confirmed, namely F. columbina, F. globulifica, F. stromatoides, and F. zahlbruckneriana. An additional four species are new records for the archipelago, including F. consentanea, F. crassilabra, F. deficiens, and F. hyalinella. The following 18 species are described as new to science: F. alani sp. nov., differing from F. chrysocarpoides in the larger ascospores; F. biliana sp. nov., differing from F. hyalinella in the longer ascospores; F. brevicarpa sp. nov., differing from F. hyalinella in the short, broad, somewhat gall-forming lirellae; F. fissa sp. nov., differing from F. tachygrapha in the thicker thallus, the weak apical carbonization of the labia, and the relatively narrower ascospores; F. fuscella sp. nov., differing from F. tectigera in the apically carbonized labia and the shorter ascospores becoming brown when mature; F. fuscispora sp. nov., differing from F. dumastii and similar species in the ascospores becoming brown, and from F. fujisanensis in the non-carbonized labia; F. graphidoides sp. nov., differing from F. gomphospora in the dark labia contrasting with the lighter thallus, and from F. decipiens in the more distinct, dark grey labia lacking a black line along the slit; F. implicatoides sp. nov., differing from F. capsulata in the thin, largely endoperidermal thallus and in the shorter, broader ascospores; F. kokeensis sp. nov., differing from F. hyalinella in the presence of distinct (albeit thin) labia and in the weakly amyloid ascospores; F. mauiensis sp. nov., differing from F. fissa in the slightly smaller ascospores; F. montiformis sp. nov., differing from F. alligatorensis in the minutely gall-forming lirellae with concealed disc and the somewhat narrower ascospores; F. nigriannulata sp. nov., differing from F. hyalinella in the irregular black rim bordering the gaping disc of the lirellae; F. papillosa sp. nov., differing from F. insidiosa in the even thallus with numerous, tiny papillae; F. sandwicensis sp. nov., differing from F. fissa in the larger, muriform ascospores; F. serpentina sp. nov., differing from F. insidiosa in the very long, radiating lirellae; F. subcoarctata sp. nov., differing from F. coarctata in the more robust, less crowded lirellae; F. subcrassilabra sp. nov., differing from F. crassilabra in the less emergent lirellae with concealed disc and in the only weakly amyloid ascospore; and F. subtimidula sp. nov., differing from F. fissa in the much larger ascospores and from F. sandwicensis in the 3-septate ascospores. Based on our study, the number of species of Fissurina now known from Hawaiʻi has more than tripled and potential endemism has increased from zero to 78%. A key to all species now reported for Hawaiʻi is presented. This study is dedicated to our esteemed colleague and friend, André Aptroot, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, for his numerous contributions to the taxonomy of tropical crustose lichens.

The family Trypetheliaceae is a diverse lineage of crustose lichenized fungi occurring almost exclusively in the tropics. Based on material collected in eastern Colombia in the region of the so-called Piedemonte Llanero, we describe here a new species for this family, in the genus Marcelaria , the fourth species known in the genus. The new species, Marcelaria casanarensis , is characterized by a clear hamathecium and large ascospores, similar to the neotropical M. purpurina , but it produces orange instead of red superficial pigmentation, outwardly agreeing with the two paleotropical species, M. benguelensis and M. cumingii. The new species thus appears to provide a morphological link between the currently known neotropical and paleotropical taxa. However, the pigment chemistry is closer to that of M. purpurina , so the orange colour is to be interpreted as homoplasy. Phylogenetically, based on an analysis of two markers, M. casanarensis and M. purpurina are closely related but M. casanarensis differs in two larger insertions in two different regions of the mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU). A key to the four species currently accepted in Marcelaria is presented.

We present a first comprehensive treatment of the foliicolous lichen biota of Brunei (Brunei Darussalam), a country c. 5765 km ² in size located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Based on a study of numerous leaves collected from 18 sites, resulting in 1745 individual collections, we identified 193 species in the material, including 21 new to science, raising the number of foliicolous lichens known from Brunei from 27 to 199 taxa. This is one of the highest numbers reported for single countries, after Brazil (455 species), Costa Rica (435), Ecuador (365), Mexico (340), Guyana (296), Australia (238), Bolivia and Colombia (228 each), and Papua New Guinea (213). However, relative to log-transformed area size, Brunei is one of the countries with the highest known foliicolous lichen diversity, having almost half the number of species as Costa Rica within an area little more than 10% of the size of the latter. The foliicolous lichen biota of Brunei has a dominant paleotropical element, clustering with that of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Australia. The newly described species are: Arthonia concentrica sp. nov., differing from A. trilocularis in the circular thallus with concentrically arranged, thinly pruinose ascomata; Arthonia flavirugosa sp. nov., differing from A. flavoverrucosa in the delicate, light yellowish ridges and the smaller ascospores; Arthonia tenuilobata sp. nov., differing from A. lobulicarpa in the more delicate lobes, pruinose ascomata and the brown ascospores; Byssolecania fumosocaerulea sp. nov., differing from B. fumosonigricans in the greyish blue outer fringe of the apothecia; Byssoloma inconspicuum sp. nov., differing from B. microcarpum in the dark brown apothecial disc and the excipulum lacking crystals; Byssoloma incrustatimurinum sp. nov., differing from B. murinum in the shorter, non-tapering ascospores and the crystals in the excipulum; Byssoloma subaeruginosum sp. nov., differing from B. usambarense in the dark aeruginous hypothecium and the (olive-)brown thallus; Chroodiscus lirellicarpus sp. nov., differing from C. argillaceus in the lirellate apothecia; Chroodiscus minutus sp. nov., differing from C. argillaceus in the very small apothecia; Echinoplaca septemseptata sp. nov., differing from E. tetrapla in the 7-septate ascospores; Eremothecella rugosa sp. nov., differing from E. calamicola in the ridged thallus and the longer conidia; Eremothecella verrucispora sp. nov., differing from E. calamicola in the brown, ornamented ascospores with more numerous septa; Fellhanera tutongensis sp. nov., differing from F. microdiscus in the 3–7-septate, more elongate, narrower ascospores; Mazosia bambusiradiata sp. nov., differing from M. bambusae in the radiately arranged thallus verrucae; Mazosia rugosa sp. nov., differing from M. pseudobambusae in the rugose instead of verrucose thallus surface; Ocellularia andulauensis sp. nov., differing from O. daniana in the more delicate, foliicolous thallus and the much smaller ascospores; Opegrapha albomarginata sp. nov., differing from all other species of Opegrapha with goniocystangia, in the white margin of the goniocystangia; Phylloporis verrucosula sp. nov., differing from P. palmae in the small perithecia and comparatively narrow ascospores; Porina riparia sp. nov., differing from P. pseudoapplanata [= Phyllophiale viridis ] in the finely laciniate thallus with non-radiating photobiont; Spinomyces rubrotrichoides sp. nov., differing from other species in the genus in the multiseptate, worm-like ascospores and from Rubrotricha helminthospora , with which it agrees in ascospore type, in the entirely whitish, more delicate sterile thallus setae; Trichothelium subrobinsonii sp. nov., differing from T. robinsonii in the consistently 7-septate ascospores. The following three species are new continental records: Bapalmuia pallescens (Paleotropics), Lyromma palmae (Paleotropics), and Tapellaria major (Paleotropics). We also include two keys: one to foliicolous species of Arthonia with 2-septate, pigmented ascospores and one to foliicolous species of Porina with Phyllophiale -type isidia.

Two additional species of Sticta are described as new to science based on material from Bolivia and Peru and supported by phylogenetic analysis of the fungal ITS barcoding marker. The two new species represent lineages within clade I on the global Sticta phylogeny. Sticta flakusiorum Ossowska, B. Moncada & Lücking is a species in the S. humboldtii morphodeme and is characterized by lobes partly to entirely covered with white hairs, also covering the margins of submarginal and laminal apothecia, and the scabrid basal membrane of cyphellae, which is white to yellow, or partly brown, and when yellow K+ purple. The taxon was discovered at a single locality in Bolivia, but it is closely related to a potentially new Sticta species from Peru, which is here left undescribed. The other new species, S. kukwae Ossowska, Magain & Sérus., belongs to the S. weigelii morphodeme. It has lobes with sinuous margins and dark, palmate to corymbose phyllidia. It was collected at several locations in Peru and a single locality in Bolivia.

Red Listing lichenized fungi: best practices and future prospects – ERRATUM - Volume 57 Issue 2

Lichens are complex symbiotic systems where fungi interact with an extracellular arrangement of one or more photosynthetic partners and an indeterminate number of other microbes. Recently, specific lichen–microbial community associations have been proposed. In this study, we aimed to characterize the differences in bacteria associated with closely related lichens, under a defined set of environmental conditions in Colombian paramos. Our goal was to determine if there is a correlation between microbiota and host divergence in lichen species belonging to the genus Sticta. We found that specific microbiota are defined by their mycobiont at the genus level. Further, distinct bacterial families show differences among the three studied genera, and specific amplicon sequence variants further discriminate among lichen species within each genus. A geographic component also determines the composition of these microbial communities among lichen species. Our functional analysis revealed that fungal partners play a key role in synthesizing complex polysaccharides, while bacterial-derived antioxidants and photoprotective mechanisms contribute to desiccation tolerance in lichens. These insights highlight the complex interactions within lichen symbioses that could be relevant in environments such as the paramo ecosystem.

The study of lichens in Neotropical regions has uncovered a remarkable diversity, much of which remains largely unexplored. Within this context, several species of Sarcographa, including the common and widespread S. labyrinthica (Ach.) Müll. Arg., S. fissurinoides, and S. feei had not been documented in Ecuador until now. This study expands the known geographical range of the species and provides new insights into the ecology and morphology of the genus Sarcographa.